Slow molasses drip under a tipped-up crescent moon.

In Praise of “Trespass”

More on the underappreciated albums front: Trespass by Genesis. Most Johnny- and Janey-Come-Lately Genesis fans miss this one, since it predates Phil Collins, the group’s primary magnet for the casual latter day follower. But Peter Gabriel’s on this one, as are Anthony Philips (guitars) and Peter Mayhew (drums), who certainly more than hold their own throughout the procedings. The songs are, for the most part, a bit more straighforward than the ones that define Nursery Cryme and Foxtrot, the two most-similar albums in the Genesis canon–but that’s not a bad thing, now, is it? Most folks who do know this album will focus on its closing song, “The Knife,” as the reason to own it, but I’m gonna lift up “Stagnation” instead–one of the most beautiful, powerful, evocative things this group ever produced, no lie.